Automakers are outraged at the proposal.
Ford Motor Company (F)
and Toyota Motor Company (TYO:7203) led the
coalition of the unwilling.

In letters to House
Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming's ranking Republican member, Rep. James Sensenbrenner (Milwaukee
- Wisc.), the automakers rip the plan, which they say will likely void
vehicle owners' warranties.

While the EPA promises to use a
special orange and black label at the pumps where E15 fuel is being
vended, officials at Ford and Toyota fear that won't be enough warning for
customers. They point out that most gasoline engines aren’t designed to use
ethanol, which can cause excessive engine wear and engine failure.

Chrysler LLC also opposed the plan to allow E15 at the pump.
Writes Jody Trapasso, Chrysler external affairs SVP, "While
Chrysler has been a strong advocate of renewable fuels, we have concerns about
the potential harmful effects of E15 in engines and fuel systems that were not
designed for use of that fuel."

In response to the letters, Rep. Sensenbrenner has
fired off a letter of his own to Ms. Jackson at the EPA, warning about the
engine damage and telling her, "In difficult economic times, consumers
need to get more miles from a gallon of gas and extend the lives of their
cars."

II. EPA: Problem? What Problem?

The EPA defended the proposal claiming that
research by the U.S.
Department of Energy showed E15 to be safe to run on engines produced after
2001. They claim the DOE extensively verified "any increase would
not have an adverse impact."

The statement continues, "The administration
will continue to take steps, guided by science and the law, to reduce our
reliance on foreign oil and increase our use of home-grown fuels."

Clearly the two sides don't see eye to eye here.
The automakers, who actually engineered the cars, say E15 will destroy
engines of vehicles produced since 2001. But the EPA and DOE claim to
have secret insight that the automakers don't, arguing the vehicles will be
just fine.

Noticeably absent among the protesters is
General Motors Comp. (GM).
GM was the chief supporter of ethanol fuel vehicles. Most of its
lineup consists of FlexFuel vehicles, which can run on ethanol or gasoline.

The EPA may bend to the will of the industry --
after all, just weeks ago it cut the mandatory amount of ethanol in fuel blends
to the
lowest level in three years.

"Google fired a shot heard 'round the world, and now a second American company has answered the call to defend the rights of the Chinese people." -- Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.)